Two priests killed, bodies burned at UP temple; bail suspect wanted
A local goon who recently got out on bail has been arrested for allegedly killing two priests and burning their bodies at a temple in Uttar Pradesh's Shahjahanpur district. Police said the accused, Sumit Singh, admitted to the crime during questioning. According to Shahjahanpur Superintendent of Police Saurabh Dixit, the bodies of priests Gopal Das (70) and Bihari Das (60) were discovered around 7 am on Thursday at the temple in Sootha village, which falls under Khudaganj police station's jurisdiction.
The temple's patron, Shiv Kumar Singh, alleged that Sumit killed the priests and burned their bodies to destroy evidence and grab temple property. Villagers claimed that Sumit, who was from the same village, regularly visited the temple and pressured the priests to leave so he could occupy the premises. During questioning, the accused confessed to hitting both priests with an iron pipe and setting their bodies on fire. Police noted that about seven criminal cases are already lodged against Sumit, and he is known to be of aggressive nature, with previous allegations of killing animals and attacking village residents without provocation.
Gopal Das had left his home in a nearby village about 22 years ago after his wife's death and lived at the temple. Bihari Das was from Sootha village and became Gopal Das's disciple approximately 10 years ago. A forensic team collected evidence at the scene, and the remains were sent for autopsy and further examination.
